DURHAM, N.C. — Jeff Newell, CEO of Pharmacy Quality Solutions (PQS), has announced his intent to retire at the end of May 2021. Newell’s tenure at PQS serves as a capstone to his 40-year career in pharmacy.

“Pharmacy is in my blood,” Newell said, noting that many of his family members are pharmacists. “It truly has been a pleasure to work side by side with my PQS team members, past and present, to build a business that supports our client’s needs.”

Newell has a long track record of leadership and quality improvement within multiple healthcare settings including community pharmacy, long-term care and within a quality improvement organization. Newell has grown PQS’s strategy, team, financial stability, reach and influence.

“The board has enjoyed working with a leader with such deep industry knowledge,” said Tom Menighan, APhA CEO Emeritus and chair of the PQS Board of Directors. He notes that Newell grew both the team and scope of the business, elevated the stature of the organization and increased marketplace relevance during his tenure. Furthermore, PQS is well positioned to grow into new markets and be a catalyst to drive important changes in healthcare. “He will be missed,” Menighan concluded, “but he leaves behind a high performing team. We wish him well in his next chapter.”

Before joining PQS in 2017, Newell served as an executive with Sears Holding, Millennium, Healthcentric Advisors and CVS Health. Areas of responsibility included strategy, joint ventures, partnerships, regulatory, compliance, managed care, patient engagement, quality measurement, specialty pharmacy and operations. Newell began his pharmacy career in family-owned and operated pharmacies in New York and was involved in various volunteer and appointed roles across the profession, including Chairman of the Rhode Island Board of Pharmacy, President of the Rhode Island Pharmacists Association, and several other national advisory boards.

Newell and the PQS board are executing a succession plan without business interruption to clients or staff. Todd Sega, PharmD, SVP, Development and Strategy, will succeed Newell.